Thread: Iraq/Dinar News until April 26, 2007 Midnight cst.

Iraq criticises US pull-out bill

Hoshyar Zebari accuses US legislators of "politicking"

Attempts by US Democrats to hasten the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq are "damaging to security" in the country, Iraq's foreign minister says.
Hoshyar Zebari was responding to a vote in the US House of Representatives making further funding of the war conditional on a withdrawal timetable.
The top US general in Iraq said there was still "vastly more work" to do.
The Senate votes on the bill later on Thursday. President George W Bush has promised to veto it.
This is part of the politicking, basically, in Washington


Hoshyar Zebari,
Iraq foreign minister



Partisan duel heats up
National Guard bears burden


Although the Democrats, who sponsored the bill, control both houses of Congress, they do not have enough votes to overrule a presidential veto.
The Democrats have been locked in confrontation with President Bush's Republicans over the future of the war in Iraq.
Mr Zebari said the bill was "part of the politicking, basically, in Washington, and this has been damaging in fact to the security, political development, not only in Iraq, but in the entire region".
He said a decision to withdraw US troops "should depend on conditions on the ground".
"The moment that Iraqi forces, security, military, are self-reliant, capable of standing on their own, defending their own country, providing security, then definitely there would be a way for the troops to leave."
'Surrender date'
The commander of US forces in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, has met US politicians to argue against the bill.
He is overseeing the "surge" strategy, in which thousands of extra US troops are being poured into Baghdad in an attempt to pacify the Iraqi capital.



Surge strategy faltering
US jail chief arrested in Iraq


He did not give a direct opinion on the bill at a press conference in Washington on Thursday, but said the US effort "clearly is going to require an enormous commitment over time".
He said the first few months of the surge had led to improvements in Iraq, but said it had still to get fully into its stride, and admitted that progress was "often eclipsed by sensational attacks which overshadow our achievements".
He described the situation there as "exceedingly complex and very tough", and said "there is vastly more work to be done across the board".
The Democrats' bill provides $100bn (£50bn) in new war funds, if troops start leaving in October, with the withdrawal planned to be complete by March 2008.
In other developments in Iraq:

• The commander of a major US military prison in Baghdad, Lt Col William Steele, is arrested on suspicion of offences including aiding the enemy
• Ten Iraqi soldiers are killed and 15 people injured in a suicide car bomb attack on an Iraqi army checkpoint in the town of Khalis
• In Tikrit, gunmen kill the sister-in-law and niece of Ali Hassan al-Majid, the genocide suspect better known as Chemical Ali
• Three people are killed in an attack outside Kurdistan Democratic Party offices in Mosul

Originally Posted by Adster

Who remembers this? Some of the newbies, may not have seen it.

Baker Jaber AL Zubaidi: Iraqi Dinar Value should be Raised

Baker Jaber AL Zubaidi: Iraqi Dinar Value should be Raised Al-Sabah - [29/06/2006]

The Ministry of Finance together with the Central Bank are studying a proposal to raise the value of the Iraqi dinar in order to return it to previous levels where one Iraqi dinar was valued at 3.33 US dollars. This was pre 1980 before Iraq became involved in three destructive wars that at one time led to the currency's value dropping to a level of 3,000 Iraqi dinars to one US dollar. The proposal has the support and approval of the World Bank.

A statement by B.J. AL Zubaidi, the Minister of Finance, in which he said that he had suggested to the Chairman of the Central Bank, Dr. Sinan AL Shibibi, that three zeros be taken from the Iraqi Dinar in order to raise its value so that one Dinar be equal to a Dollar. He explained that the financial authorities were set on holding a meeting next month to discuss the matter. The meeting is to be attended by experts and spe******ts from the Ministry of Finance, the Iraqi Central Bank and the Commercial Bank .

The new Minister confirmed that 2007 would see the preparation of a qualitative budget, the first of its kind in Iraq history, and that the new program would pinpoint economic indicators.

wOotT!!! (SORRY, SUSIE!!!HAD TO BORROW IT! AND MISPELLED IT!! sO, WoOT!!! YE-HAW! That is totally what I'm talkin about!

Analysis: Sadr raises Maliki pressure

By Jim Muir
BBC News, Baghdad


Mr Sadr himself has not appeared - the US says he is abroad

The decision by radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr to order his six ministers to quit the Iraqi government was not a surprising development.
Although electorally allied to Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's own al-Daawa party and partners in the big Shia coalition which dominates government and parliament, the two sides had been increasingly at odds as the pressures in the country mount.
Nobody expects Mr Sadr's move to bring the government down. Nor did observers believe that was his intention.
Rather than leave the cabinet seats empty, he himself suggested that the six abandoned portfolios be given to non-partisan independents, and some of his aides urged that competent technocrats be appointed.
That gesture was welcomed in a statement from Prime Minister Maliki, who also said he appreciated the Sadr movement's support for the political process.
Huge protest
The prime minister owes his position to the firebrand young cleric, who tilted the balance in his favour in the internal voting within the Shia alliance that produced Mr Maliki as its candidate for the job early last year.
Hundreds of thousands attended the Najaf rally against the US

Mr Sadr's decision to withdraw from the government appears to have been triggered primarily by its failure to heed the big popular demonstration he called in Najaf a week earlier to demand a withdrawal of coalition forces.
Hundreds of thousands of people, mainly Shias, attended the demonstration, waving banners and chanting slogans calling for the Americans to leave. It passed off peacefully.
The Sadr movement's demand for a withdrawal timetable has been turned down by Mr Maliki, who said last week during a visit to Japan that the timing would depend on when the Iraqi forces were ready to take full responsibility for security nationwide - a position he reiterated in his reaction statement to the Sadrist pullout.
The Sadr bloc has 32 of the 275 seats in the current parliament, and intends to continue its activities there and in the Shia coalition, despite withdrawing from government.
Another member of the Shia coalition, the Fadhila party, announced early last month that it was pulling out of that alliance because of the government's poor performance and sectarian quota composition. But only if other major factions such as the main Sunni bloc and Iyad Allawi's secular Iraqi List were also to walk out of government, would it be at risk of collapse. Nonetheless, the Sadr movement's defection from cabinet is likely to increase the pressure on the embattled prime minister.

US prison chief arrested in Iraq

US handling of Iraqi detainees has been controversial from the start

The commander of a major US military prison in Iraq has been arrested for offences including aiding the enemy.
Lt Col William Steele is accused of giving detainees free use of a mobile phone at Camp Cropper and fraternising with the daughter of a detainee.
It is the latest of several scandals involving US jails in Iraq, the worst being the 2003 Abu Ghraib abuse case.
Col Steele is also accused of improper behaviour with his Iraqi interpreter and holding unauthorised information.
There are four overall charges against Col Steele and nine specific alleged offences. He was arrested last month and is being detained in Kuwait, a US military spokeswoman said.
CHARGES AGAINST COL STEELE
Providing unmonitored mobile phone to detainees
Mishandling classified information
Fraternising with detainee's daughter
Inappropriate relationship with interpreter and providing her special privileges
Failing to obey a lawful order
Possessing pornographic videos
Failing obligations as approving authority for expenditure

Others offences include dereliction in the performance of his duties, failing to obey an order and wrongfully possessing pornographic videos. The alleged offences took place between October 2005 and February 2007, a US statement said. Col Steele was arrested in March. "His current status is that he is in confinement and waiting for his Article 32 hearing," the spokeswoman said.

Originally Posted by Hkp

Sabah Al-Ahmad : adhere to the constitution ..

ومقبلون على ثلاث

And on the verge of three

(صوت العراق) - 26-04-2007

(Voice of Iraq) - 26-04-2007

ارسل هذا الموضوع لصديق

Send this topic to a friend

صباح الأحمد: متمسكون بالدستور..

Sabah Al-Ahmad : adhere to the constitution ..

ومقبلون على ثلاث سنوات من الإنجازات ومحاسبة المقصرين

And then three years of achievements and accounting neglecters

قال إن ما يثار عن خلافات داخل الأسرة الحاكمة يحصل في كل أسرة

He said that what is being said about disagreement within the ruling family is happening in every family

الكويت: «الشرق الأوسط»

KUWAIT : «Middle East»

أعرب أمير الكويت، الشيخ صباح الأحمد الصباح، عن تفاؤله بأن تتسيد الإنجازات الحياة السياسية خلال السنوات الثلاث المقبلة في الكويت.

The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, expressed optimism that the achievements Ttsid political life over the next three years in Kuwait.

وشدد الأمير في لقائه مع النواب على مأدبة غداء أقامها لهم ظهر أمس الأول في ختام سلسلة لقاءاته مع فعاليات البلاد التي استهلها، الأسبوع الماضي، بلقاء موسع مع أبناء الأسرة الحاكمة، على ضرورة العمل الجاد.

The Prince in his meeting with the House of Representatives have filed a luncheon yesterday afternoon at the conclusion of the first series of meetings with the events initiated by the country, last week, meeting with members of an extended royal family, the necessity of hard work.

كما ذكرت مصادر برلمانية أن الأمير قال: «ان العمل الجاد يجب أن تتسم به روحية العمل في الفترة المقبلة، وأننا إذا عملنا بطريقة جيدة فسنحقق الخير لبلدنا وإلا كنا خاسرين».

As I mentioned to parliamentary sources, the Prince said : «that serious action must be characterized by spiritual work in the coming period, and if we work well we can make it good for our country and we are only losers».

وأشار صباح الأحمد إلى «أنه يعلم أن البلاد تأخرت عن ركب العديد من الدول المجاورة إلا أن الوقت ما زال سانحاً للنهوض بأوضاعنا».

He Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah to «he knows that the country is delayed behind many of the neighboring countries, but the time was still opportune for the Advancement of manipulation».

وقال إن لقاءه بالكتل النيابية خلال هذا الأسبوع زاده تفاؤلاً إزاء المرحلة القادمة.

He said that his meeting with parliamentary blocs during this week Zadeh optimistic about the next stage.

وتمنى الأمير، حسب مصادر نيابية حضرت اللقاء، على النواب العمل بعيداً عن الخلافات كأسرة واحدة، قائلاً: «إن ما يثار من خلافات في الأسرة الحاكمة يحصل في كل أسرة متمنياً ألا تكون هنالك خلافات بين النواب فهي أمور سلبية يجب أن نتجنبها».

He wished Prince, according to sources attending the parliamentary meeting, the deputies working away from the disagreements of one family, saying : «The differences arise from the royal family's happening in every family there is only hoping that the differences between the House are negative things must be avoided».

وأضافت المصادر أنه خاطب النواب بكل صراحة قائلاً إن الاقتراحات النيابية المقدمة بشأن الزيادات المالية تستنزف ميزانية الدولة واستثماراتها، متمنياً ألا يزايد أحد على هذه المواضيع.

The sources added that addressed the deputies openly saying that the proposals submitted parliamentary increases the financial drain on the state budget and investments, hoping that any speculation on these topics.

وضرب الأمير مثالاً بمكافأة الطلبة التي أقرها المجلس في وقت سابق، قائلاً إن مكافأة المائة دينار تم منحها لكافة الطلبة، مع العلم أن بعضهم قد لا يكونون بحاجة إليها لافتاً إلى أن هذا قد يساهم في الانحراف لدى الشباب.

Prince and striking example of rewarding students approved by the Board earlier, saying that the reward cent dinars has been given to all students, knowing that some of them may not be needed, pointing out that this would contribute to the delinquency among youth.

وأعرب أنه لم يكن يؤيد هذا القانون لكنه صادق عليه رغم ذلك لأنه قرار النواب.

He expressed that he did not support this law, but nevertheless approved by the House of Representatives that decision.

ونقلت المصادر عن الأمير أن الحكومة بصدد إطلاق حملات وبرامج إرشادية لمكافحة المخدرات ومعالجة الهدر في الكهرباء والماء، قائلاً «الحكومة أخطأت في مسألة محطات الكهرباء والماء وأنا لا أبرر لهم، لكني أطلب أن تعطوهم فرصة لمدة سنة وبعد ذلك حاسبوا المقصر».

The sources quoted Prince that the government is about to launch campaigns and outreach programs to combat drug dealing and waste in electricity and water, saying «government erred on the issue of power stations and water and I do not excuse them, but I ask that give them the opportunity for a year and then defaulting Haspwa».

وأضاف «كل منا معرض للخطأ، وعليكم محاسبة المخطئين، خاصة إن كانوا متعمدين، لكن خلقنا لا يسمح لنا بالتهجم على بعضنا بعضا».

He added «each exhibition mistake, and you wrongdoers accountable, especially if they are deliberate, but created does not allow us to assaulting each other».

وخاطب النواب قائلاً «ما فيكم خير إن لم تحاسبوا المقصرين».

Addressing the deputies, saying «what you did the best that Thassbwa neglecters».

ونقلت المصادر عما وصفته بأهم ما طرحه الأمير، حيث وضع النواب في صورة أخرى عن الكويت، طالباً منهم الحكم، إذ قال «لو هبط سعر النفط إلى ما دون 46 دولاراً فسيصبح لدينا عجز بالميزانية»، داعياً النواب للتفكير في المستقبل وعدم التركيز على القضايا التي تهلك الموازنة طالباً أن يكون مجلس الأمة قدوة في البلد.

The sources quoted what it described as the most raised by the Prince, where the deputies in another picture of Kuwait, asking them to rule, saying «if oil prices fell to below 46 dollars, then we have a deficit budget», calling on deputies to think about the future and lack of focus on budget issues, which lost students to be the nation's example in the country.

وتحدث الأمير عن تضخم العمالة في وزارات وهيئات الدولة، قائلاً «نعاني تضخما في العمالة، ولدينا مشاكل وروتين».

The Prince of inflation and employment in ministries and state bodies, saying «suffer inflation in employment, and we have problems and routine».

وأوضح أنه طلب من رئيس الوزراء العمل على حل مشاكل العمالة المتضخمة والروتين.

He explained that he had asked the Prime Minister to resolve problems of employment and bloated bureaucracy.

وتطرق خلال لقائه إلى قضية ديون العراق، فقال «لقد التقيت رئيس الوزراء العراقي نوري المالكي اليوم (أمس)، وشكر الكويت على مواقفها في المحافل الدولية وجامعة الدول العربية، وقال لي إنه قد أتى الكويت قادماً من السعودية التي أسقطت 80% من ديون العراق.

He touched during his meeting with the issue of Iraq's debt, said «I met Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki today (yesterday), and thanked Kuwait for positions in international forums and the League of Arab States, and he told me that he had come from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, which dropped to 80% of Iraq's debt.

وقد أوضحت له أن الكويت دولة مؤسسات، ومسألة الديون يجب أن تمر من خلال مجلس الأمة.

I explained to him that Kuwait is a state of institutions, the debt issue must pass through the nation.

وأنا أترك هذا الموضوع لكم لتقدروه كما ترون».

I leave this subject you to Tekdroh As you can see ».

وأضاف أن التعويضات الكويتية لا تسقط لأنها أتت من الأمم المتحدة.

He added that the Kuwaiti reparations not fall because it came from the United Nations.

وجدد الأمير الحديث عن تمسكه وإيمانه بالدستور، آملاً من كتاب الصحف عدم المزايدة في هذا المجال والحديث عن حل للمجلس، فهو أمر غير صحيح.

Prince renewed talk about his faith and his commitment to the Constitution, hoping that the book newspapers that the bidding in this area and talk about a solution to the Council, that is not true.

وفي ختام حديثه، جدد الأمير تفاؤله بالمرحلة المقبلة من عمل السلطتين، متمنياً على النواب الالتفات للقوانين المهمة، وأن يدعوها تأخذ مجراها.

In conclusion, he renewed optimism Prince next phase of the work of powers, asking the House to pay attention to the important laws, and to invite them to take their course.

وخص بالذكر قوانين الضريبة والخصخصة وحقول الشمال، حيث رأى أن قانون حقول الشمال يشكل أمناً للبلد بالإضافة إلى دوره التنموي.

He singled out the tax laws, privatization and northern oilfields, and thought that the northern oilfields is a safe addition to the country's development cycle.

وقال مخاطباً النواب «عدلوا وصلحوا القوانين كما تشاءون، لكن دعوها تأخذ مجراها».

He told deputies «Salehoua and amended laws as you will, but let them take its course».

وتمنى أن تستمر العلاقات الطيبة بين أعضاء المجلس والسلطة التنفيذية لما له من أثر في مصلحة الكويت.

He hoped to continue the good relations between members of the Council and the executive authority because of its impact in the interest of Kuwait.

Translated version of http://www.sotaliraq.com/

god you have to love translations...... and i quote

" As I mentioned to parliamentary sources, the Prince said : «that serious action must be characterized by spiritual work in the coming period, and if we work well we can make it good for our country and we are only losers"

Massacre fuels northern Iraq tensions

By Roger Hardy
BBC Middle East analyst



Yazidis are viewed with suspicion by other religious groups

Sectarian tensions are high in the Mosul area of northern Iraq following the killing of 23 members of the Yazidi minority.
The Mosul area has long been religiously mixed. It is home to a variety of Muslim and Christian communities, as well as to the Yazidis - a small, ancient heterodox sect who are ethnic Kurds.
Yazidis are to be found in Iran, Russia and Turkey, but the largest number are in northern Iraq.
Traditionally the different communities in and around Mosul have lived together in relative harmony.
But now there is a new tension in the area, focused on the village of Bashika, which is mainly Yazidi with Christian and Muslim minorities.
Cycle of killings
The trouble started when a Yazidi woman from the village recently converted to Islam and ran off with a Sunni Muslim man.

This was not the first incident of its kind, and the woman's relatives were so incensed that they kidnapped her, brought her back to the village and stoned her to death.
Sunnis, and the local police, demanded the villagers hand over the culprits to face justice, but the villagers refused.
On 22 April, gunmen - presumed to be Sunnis - stopped a bus bringing textile workers from Mosul back to the village.
They separated 23 Yazidis from the others and shot them dead.
According to an eyewitness, the gunmen shouted at the Yazidis, "God curse your devil". Some Muslims regard Yazidis as devil-worshippers because they revere an angel in the form of a blue peacock. It appears the dispute is local - though there is some speculation that insurgents are trying to drive a wedge between Muslims and Yazidis.

Originally Posted by Icemann 30

Iraq criticises US pull-out bill

Hoshyar Zebari accuses US legislators of "politicking"

Attempts by US Democrats to hasten the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq are "damaging to security" in the country, Iraq's foreign minister says.
Hoshyar Zebari was responding to a vote in the US House of Representatives making further funding of the war conditional on a withdrawal timetable.
The top US general in Iraq said there was still "vastly more work" to do.
The Senate votes on the bill later on Thursday. President George W Bush has promised to veto it.
This is part of the politicking, basically, in Washington


Hoshyar Zebari,
Iraq foreign minister

Hey Icemann,

Did you possibly get Ms. Pelosi's email addy and send this to her and her buddies? I think they need to see this as well .

Iraq petrol queues ease as prices rise

Reuters

Baghdad: Long petrol queues were once among the most common sights on Baghdad's busy streets, but the snaking lines of cars waiting to refuel have disappeared in the past month following a 60 per cent price hike.
Queues outside gas stations used to stretch for kilometres.
"Months ago I would stop my car near the petrol station at dawn just to fill up by midday. Now things are much better. I can do so within minutes," said shopkeeper Ali Naem.
Iraq is still a long way from reviving its shattered oil sector and fully tapping the world's third largest oil reserves.
But the government and officials from the northern Kurdistan region will meet this week to discuss a draft oil law that could at least set the stage for a revival of foreign investment in the industry - if Iraq's parlous security situation improves.
Many Baghdadis say the demise of long fuel lines is a mixed blessing because it came on the back of a March 15 price hike to 400 Iraqi dinars (31 cents) a litre, from 250 dinars.
"We feel better when we enter the petrol station, there's no jam and no long lines, which could kill your whole day two months ago," Akram Hameed, 35, said.

I agree. Someone send it to her. And copy all the rest of the Dems.

IHS: Iraq's Oil Production Capacity Could Double in Near Term
Rig Zone
IHS Inc. on Wednesday announced the upcoming launch of the Iraq Atlas, the first and only detailed analysis of oil reserves, production and development opportunities developed since the start of the Iraq conflict. The Iraq Atlas, which will be available from IHS on May 9, is a unique overview of all known prospects and fields in Iraq, and estimates oil reserves at up to 116 billion barrels, ranking the country number three in the world. The Iraq...

Iraq Offshore Oil Photos Production

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(photo: WN)